Ijames, Steve
Pitfalls, Perils, and Positive Team Performance

This presentation will address the historical and foundational aspects of contemporary tactical policing from both a positive and negative perspective. Key problem areas will be addressed through critical incident debriefs, and the "lessons learned" in legal challenges that often follow. The seminar will offer action steps to reduce the probability of negative outcomes, and increase the probability of safe and effective tactical policing.

Steve Ijames - Bio
Steve Ijames has been a police officer since 1978, retired as the assistant chief of police in Springfield, Missouri, and has served as chief of police in two municipal police agencies. Ijames has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, a master's degree in Public Administration, and is a graduate of the 186th FBI National Academy. During his law enforcement career Ijames has served in, supervised, and or commanded assignments including uniformed patrol, criminal investigations, undercover narcotics, and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT). Ijames is the founder of his agencies full time tactical team, and has participated in, supervised or commanded the service of approximately 3,000 search warrants, over 150 barricaded subject situations, and the successful resolution of seven hostage incidents.

Ijames is an original member of the National Tactical Officers Association's board of directors, a recipient of the John Kolman Award of Excellence, and the National Police Hall of Fame's Silver Star for bravery, following his neutralization of an armed hostage taker during a rescue entry into a convenience store. He created the less lethal force instructor/trainer programs for the NTOA and International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), was the first NTOA less lethal section chair, and is the author of the IACP model policies on TASER, impact projectiles, chemical agents, noise flash diversionary devices, hostage rescue, barricaded subjects, and their position papers on patrol rifles and SWAT.

Ijames has provided SWAT, use of force, and counter terror training on behalf of the IACP and U.S. Department of State across the United States, Canada, and in 33 countries-including such places as Tanzania, Bosnia, Somalia, Haiti, El Salvador, Yemen, Pakistan, Indonesia, and East Timor. He has served on a variety of police critical incident investigative panels such as the Boston Marathon Post Blast Planning commission. He has reviewed approximately 2,000 police use of force cases for agencies across the United States, Canada and abroad. He also provides police litigation consulting in a variety of related areas here and abroad-and counts diverse agencies such as the Irish National Police, LAPD, NYPD, Chicago, Phoenix, and Ferguson, Mo. police departments as clients.